OCR

84 Bryn Mawr Stories
idiots who had been instrumental in sending him
there.
Suddenly a hush fell upon the expectant crowd.
With a blast upon their shining trumpets, eight
heralds appeared in Pembroke archway, dressed in
white and gold, with the Pembroke coat-of-arms em-
blazoned upon their breasts. Behind came lumber-
ing along four oxen, great, patient beasts, decked
out with leaves and branches, dragging the May-
pole. Some mighty forest-giant had been sacri-
ficed to these revels. lt was painted white, and
festooned with garlands. A line of flower girls
trooped along on either side, flowers in their arms,
on their short gay-coloured skirts, and adorning their
wide hats.
Laughter rippled down the line of spectators,
as through the archway came nine donkies, one
behind another, solemnly bearing the famous Nine
Wortlzies of Old English pageant. Odds, my life,
we t“md ourselves in high company! Here is
Julius Caesar, clad in scarlet, with a truly Roman
nose, and behind him King Solomon, in all his
purple glory, while Sir Godfrey de Bouillon, that
virtuous knight, brings up the rear on a most restive
steed. Next, mounted on a high cart, came the
maidens of Spring, fighting their old battle with
grey-coated Winter. That is right, pelt him with